Purpose Although there are emerging vocational support and hiring initiatives in some organizational contexts, autistic individuals continue to face significant challenges and barriers in navigating their careers. This scoping review synthesized the existing literature to find out evidence of how autistic employees define a successful career, identifying factors influencing their career progression and career trajectories. Grounded on the misfit lens, this review proposes a framework as a foundation for future understanding and enhancing career development for autistic employees. Design/methodology/approach This review followed the PRISMA-ScR checklist for writing scoping reviews. A total of 52,786 records were screened, and 46 studies were included in the study. Findings We identified three major themes and five subthemes. The first theme, “Employee job fit,” explains the significance of individual compatibility with the job. The second theme, “Organizational fit,” discusses the importance of the compatibility between the individual and the organization’s practices, policies, and culture. The third theme, “Psychological safety,” describes the need to understand autism among colleagues and employers, as well as systematic inclusion and a culture of diversity where everyone can flourish. Originality/value Moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach allows for more inclusive and sustainable workplace strategies where autistic employees can thrive. Therefore, this review explores existing literature to determine what career development means for autistic employees.
Abeysekara et al. (2025) studied this question.